The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to electrical connectors, and more specifically, to electrical connectors for electronic modules.
Competition and market demands have continued the trend toward smaller and higher performance (e.g., faster) electrical systems. The resulting higher density electrical systems have led to the development of surface mount technology. Surface mount technology allows an electronic module to be electrically connected to contact pads on the surface of an electrical component, such as a printed circuit (sometimes referred to as a “circuit board” or a “printed circuit board”). The electronic module is connected to the electrical component either directly or through an intervening electrical connector, rather than using conductive vias that extend within the electrical component. Surface mount technology allows for an increased component density on the electrical component, which enables the development of smaller and higher performance systems.
Examples of electrical connectors for such smaller and higher performance electrical systems include land-grid array (LGA) sockets and ball-grid array (BGA) sockets. LGA sockets include an array of electrical contacts that are electrically connected to the electrical component and engage an array of contact pads on the electronic module. BGA sockets also include an array of electrical contacts that are electrically connected to the electrical component, but instead of contact pads the electrical contacts of BGA sockets engage an array of solder balls on the electronic module. The electrical contacts of both LGA sockets and BGA sockets may engage contact pads on the electrical component or may be electrically connected to the electrical component via an array of solder balls.
The electrical contacts of electrical connectors used to electrically connect an electronic module to an electrical component typically include both ground and signal contacts. The ground contacts are positioned within the array such that individual or differential pairs of the signal contacts are surrounded by ground contacts. The ground contacts thereby shield the individual or signal contact pairs from neighboring signal contacts or signal contact pairs. However, to provide adequate shielding between neighboring signal contacts or signal contact pairs, each signal contact or signal contact pair is typically surrounded by a plurality of ground contacts such that a ground contact extends between the signal contact or signal contact pair and each neighboring signal contact or signal contact pair. The ground contacts occupy space within the array that could otherwise be occupied by signal contacts. In other words, the number of ground contacts may limit the number of signal contacts provided within a connector having a given size and/or within an array having a given number of electrical contacts overall. Moreover, the number of ground contacts may limit the density of signal contacts provided within a connector having a given size and/or within an array having a given number of electrical contacts overall. Accordingly, surrounding individual signal contacts or signal contact pairs with a plurality of ground contacts may limit the development of smaller and higher performance electrical connectors. Additionally, surrounding individual signal contacts or signal contact pairs with a plurality of ground contacts may limit the relative arrangement of signal contacts, ground contacts, and/or signal contact pairs within the array, which may limit a designer's ability to select an arrangement that provides a desired performance of the electrical connector.